Sleight
by N. E. Shaw
Summary: A little girl goes missing, and Andros needs Cassie's support to save her.
1. Chapter One

_[PRiS] "Sleight" (Andros, Cassie) [PG-13]._ Saban e Fox possedere Potenza Guardia, and all that. You know what I'm saying. This fic takes place just after "TJ's Identity Crisis", but does not connect with that fic in any signifigant way. Not much to say about this one 'cept comments comments comments, and enjoy! 

"Sleight"   
By N. E. Shaw

* * *

"Ok Andros, I promise, you have never tasted anything like one of these before..."

There was anticipation in TJ's voice. Unfortunately Andros couldn't hear him over the din.

_"What?"_ the Red Ranger shouted, leaning closer and getting a face full of greasy fumes.

_"I said you've never tasted anything like one of these!"_

The boys were huddled next to one of the dozens of hot dog concessions at the Angel Grove Exposition, the annual carnival that brought tourists and their dollars from miles around, every July. Colored lights and pounding music made their heads spin, and the joyful screaming of ride patrons only added to the noise. It was nighttime, but even though the sky was clear, not a single star was visible from the fairgrounds. Angel Grove's astronomy buffs weren't big supporters of the Ex.

The tiltawhirl spun nearby, as did the _"Chakram"_. A roller coaster called _"The Phoenix"_ roared by on it's tracks overhead (making Andros nervous), and towering above it all was the giant Ferris wheel, boasting to be the largest in the state. Carlos, Cassie and Ashley were off somewhere, scaring themselves to death and filling their stomachs with "cotton candy", while TJ insisted on treating Andros to another Expo tradition: the Double Dog.

The Red Ranger watched in disgust and fascination as the hot dog wiener was lifted dripping from the grill, settled in it's bread shell, and then buried in remarkably unappetizing condiments. TJ kept insisting on more "sauerkraut" until the vendor threatened to charge him extra for it. Finally the masterpiece was done, and handed across the cart to the hungry men. TJ simply beamed.

"DECA would bust a board trying to re-create one of these. Here, knock yourself out."

He thrust the sloppy thing into Andros' hands, and the Kerovan eyed it suspiciously. "That's just what I was afraid of"

"Try it!"

Defeated, Andros took a deep breath and raised the Double Dog to his mouth. He supposed TJ knew what he was doing, and it couldn't possibly be harmful could it? Ludicrously fattening yes, but safe...hopefully. There was only one way to find out.

"Andros, _no!!_" cried a voice. He was so startled he nearly dropped the Double Dog, which TJ immediately tried to rescue. The others were running towards them, Cassie in the lead, with a huge toy python draped around her neck. She bounced to a halt, shot TJ a glare, and then turned to her space-faring friend.

"Andros, what do you think you're doing? Do you have any idea what one of those Double Dogs will do to you??"

Andros looked at TJ in alarm, but the Blue Ranger simply waved her off. "Cassie, they're harmless...!"

"Maybe for you!" Carlos smirked. "But some of us like to treat our bodies like temples, not nuclear waste facilities!"

"Andros isn't used to this kind of food." Cassie scolded, taking the thing away from him and handing it back to TJ. "He's used to Synthetron food, which doesn't have insane amounts of salt and MSG and...sauerkraut...to foul up your plumbing. He'll be regretting it for a week if he eats one of these!"

Carlos pulled back from the smell of it. "Not to mention overloading the ventilation ducts in his quarters."

Cassie took Andros by the arm and shoved him towards Ashley. "You go with her, she's trying to win herself a souvenir and won't expose you to any harmful substances in the meantime. Carlos, let's go check out that new coaster ok? TJ can stay by himself until he's disposed of that thing."

He smirked at her and took a huge bite of it just to see her reaction. She was appropriately grossed out.

"If you survive till it's gone, come and find us ok? See ya later..."

She and Carlos took off at a jog, making her python and his shark toy fight a mock battle between them. Meanwhile, TJ took another bite of hot dog, gave his remaining friends a wink and offered, "I hear the Tunnel of Love is back in town this year..."

Ashley waved her hand in front of her face. "No enclosed spaces for you, Pepto Boy. See you after the Ex and I'll buy you some Lax."

He simply spouted an evil laugh and walked away towards the kissing booth. Ashley shook her head and lead Andros toward the midway.

* * *

They strolled down the promenade for a few minutes, observing the rows of enticing games on either side. Many were crowded with people playing games of "chance" and trying to win one of the seductive prizes hung thick around the booth. People threw darts and tossed softballs and flung rings and casted fishing poles, and occasionally someone walked by with a prize even larger than Cassie's vinyl snake. But Ashley had played many of these games already, and none been forthcoming with a toy. She was a little disenchanted with the carnival by now.

Andros shook his head slightly as he walked. "Don't these people realize they're being cheated out of their money?"

"Maybe," Ashley shrugged. "Doesn't stop them though."

They watched a child burst into tears as her last ring throw failed to win her a prize. "Don't they understand how pointless it is to try and win? I'll bet ninety percent of these games are rigged to make success impossible no matter how skilled the player is."

Ashley shook her head. "People like to take their chances, Andros. Everyone wants to be the person carrying the biggest toy home."

He just shook his head at the carnival patrons throwing their money away.

"Come on, why does anyone gamble? Why do you play Zenta?"

"Zenta is a true game of chance. You never know if the cards will come up in your favor or not. Unless you're cheating of course, which is what most of these vendors are doing." They fell silent as Ashley digested this, and they continued down the aisle listening to the sounds of the midway.

Slowly though, a mischievous smile spread over the Yellow Ranger's features. She took Andros' arm and pulled him towards a booth just ahead.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Over here," she replied. "To swindle the swindlers."

* * *

38 year old Jim Brewer, A.K.A. Shecky the Ball Toss Knave, watched as the pretty young highschooler with the perky hair dragged her quiet-looking boyfriend towards his stall. Silently he gauged the girl's clothing and appearance, and decided she must have a rich mommy or daddy financing her trip to the fair. Straightening his jester costume which he had tailored himself, he turned to his young daughter and said "Go around back honey, and we'll go out for ice cream later. How's that sound?"

Six year old Katie sat on the ground behind the counter, playing with a couple of gaming balls. At the prospect of ice cream, the slim brunette cherub grinned at her father and obeyed, skipping out of the booth and flouncing behind to their trailer, out of the way.

"G'day, m'lord and lady!" Shecky cried, sliding off his stool to bow to his patrons. "Try your luck at a game of skill and chance this fine summer eve?"

The girl gave her boyfriend a knowing grin. "You bet we will. But um, what do we have to do to win one of _those...?_"

She pointed to the bank of prizes on display at the back. Her eyes were gleaming at the enormous yellow Koala Bear at the top of the heap.

"Why not the slightest effort m'lady! Simply throw as many of these vibrant spheres as you can, into those golden goblets at the back there, and you'll be sure to take home a new friend tonight. What say you?"

The girl was already fishing in her purse. "I say, lemme at 'em."

With a courteous bow, Jim took up three spray painted softballs and gave his little demonstration, throwing them with ease into the plastic cups at the back. Little did the kids know, they would not be playing with _these_ gaming balls. They would be given the ones without weights to keep them from bouncing out of the cups again.

He finished the display with a flourish, and bowed again when the girl applauded. Then he bent over to get the unweighted balls from under the counter.

While he was down there, he heard the boy whisper, "You see what he's doing? Simple sleight of hand!"

Jim waited until the girl shushed him before he stood up again and pretended not to have heard.

"There you be, m'lady. Show yer beau just what a girl is made of!"

Taking careful aim, she drew back and prepared to fire the first ball. Jim didn't notice her companion absently tucking back his hair and pointing two fingers in her direction.

The ball left her hand just as gracefully as you please, and Jim watched respectfully, as if he didn't know what would happen next. But halfway through it's arc, he thought he saw the ball pause..._catch_ in mid air as if met with some resistance. It continued on however, with gravity-defying slowness, finally coming to rest in one of the goblets at the front. Jim could do nothing but stare for a few moments, while the girl clapped and bounced on her toes in triumph. Then she proceeded to "throw" the remaining balls into the goblets in the same mind-boggling fashion while her mute companion stood by and watched. A stranger sight Jim had never seen.

When she was done, she looked at him expectantly and jerked her head towards the yellow Koala Bear. Still in a stupor, he went to the back wall, unclipped the toy from its rack and handed it down to her, watching a mischievous grin go between the young couple.

But suddenly, there was a loud _thud!_ as something hit the back wall from behind. Several toys fell off their shelves, tumbling to the ground, and Jim forgot about the strange game he had just sold. The sound had come from the trailer.

"Katie?" he called, abandoning his Shecky the Knave voice. There was no immediate reply. "Katie, what's going on back there?" Jim started around to check on his daughter's well being, while the teens looked at each other questioningly.

All at once, there was a scream and the sound of glass splintering. _"Dadeeeee!!"_ came Katie's terrified howl, and Jim's hair stood on end as he saw a dark figure dash out from behind the booth and run away in the shadows. It was holding a kicking and screaming child in its arms.

_"Katie!!"_ he shouted. "Daddy's coming!"

Before he could move though, a hand grabbed his arm. "Sir, we'll take care of this! Stay with your booth!" It took him a moment to recognize the girl's voice. She shoved the Koala Bear back into his hands while her friend pounded after the kidnapper like a rocket-fueled cheetah. Then the girl ran off after him, following close behind.

* * *

Andros' breath was loud in his ears as he pursued the kidnapper. Shecky's booth was on the edge of the midway, so Andros was able to chase the villain out of the Expo and away from any places to hide. They dashed across the empty part of the field, where no floodlights showed them the way.

The distance between them was widening, the abductor being a bit more fleet of foot than the Red Ranger. The only thing keeping Andros on the right track was the constant screaming of the little girl, and he prayed he could keep up until he was far enough from the carnival to Morph.

"I'm calling the others!" came Ashley's voice, breathless behind him. He heard her break off her pursuit and activate her communicator, but then he turned his attention back to the task at hand.

The abductor was leading them towards a power facility of some kind; a geometric forest of wires and scaffolding fifty feet away. Andros might be at a disadvantage there since the abductor might try to climb his way to safety, potentially hurting himself or the girl in the process. The only upside was that the power station was lit brilliantly by floodlights, making hiding tough to find.

Risking a glance over his shoulder, Andros judged himself far enough away from the fair, and safe from prying eyes. In mid-run he extended his left arm and cried,

_"Let's Rocket!!"_

* * *

AGDWP Station #119 was silent when the Red Ranger arrived on the scene. He paused a moment to catch his breath, then started forward, prowling for signs of the abductor or abductee. The little girl's cries had stopped, though they continued to ring in Andros' mind.

The power station was indeed a strange-looking forest, with its high canopy of wires, tall structuring reaching for the sky, and hard concrete floor. Shadows crisscrossed everything, cast down through the scaffolds, and gave the place an extra touch of eerie-ness.

Andros had followed the abductor through a hastily-torn hole in the fence, which almost looked to have been burned into being. The abductor might have managed it if he had some kind of electric cutters on hand, but otherwise it was remarkable how he had gotten through so fast. Now there was no sign of him or the child, and a growing feeling of unease was in the air.

A distant clang made Andros jump. He whirled defensively toward it, but there was nothing to see. Cautiously he kept on moving, wishing his heart would quit pounding so loudly. Wondering what was keeping the others, he passed beneath one of the large cylindrical transformers perched high overhead. From that great height, a large, dark figure suddenly fell, landing with the gracefulness of a cat behind the Red Ranger. Andros whirled barely in time, and narrowly missed being skewered by a long slender blade.

He leaped out of the way and executing a graceful roll, coming up to the sound of throaty, evil laughter. He snapped into a defensive posture, fixing on his attacker who simply stood waiting in the shadows where he landed. His silhouette was tall, heavy, and bulkier than any human's should have been. All Andros could see were a pair of slit, glowing red eyes staring out at him like a demon's.

_"Darkonda..."_ Andros snarled, his face twisting beneath his mask.

The figure did not reply, simply craning his body to look upwards, and then extending his sword to the sky. Before Andros' eyes, the sword grew to twice it's length and began to glow with energy. Then it spat forth a great burst of power which traveled upward, slamming into the transformer with a deafening explosion.

Sparks rushed skyward as a blast of heat struck Andros and made him shield his eyes. He scrambled backward to avoid being cooked, but saw that Darkonda no longer stood beneath the exploding transformer device. The mutant monster now watched from far away, still hidden by shadow, laughing devilishly at the destruction he had caused. With a feral grin, he looked at Andros and cried, "Till our paths cross again, Red Ranger; it's time we came full circle! _Fourth time the charm!_"

Then he was gone, vanishing in a dark ripple of energy.

Back at the fairgrounds, lights, music, rides and everything electric began to shut down one machine at a time. People yelled their annoyance from the top of the still Ferris wheel, roller coasters coasted to a halt in the valleys, and children screamed as the funhouse went dark, trapping them inside. The sounds of the carnival grew quiet for a moment, then were gradually replaced by the rising chorus of protest from it's patrons. Anyone who wasn't complaining was too busy wondering what the glowing explosion at the power station had been for. Moments passed as Andros let Darkonda's words echo in his mind. The power had shut down here too, and now the only light came from the soft blue of the moon.


	2. Chapter Two

The next morning came early for the Rangers. They spent most of it back on Earth at Angel Grove P.D. giving their report about the abduction of Katie Brewer. No trace of her could be found from when she left her father's trailer the evening before.

Jim Brewer insisted his ex-wife was to blame, claiming she had never forgiven him for getting custody of their little girl. Andros however, had other ideas, though he kept them to himself for now. He listened to the forensics report on the trailer-- no fingerprints, hair or fiber samples recovered-- and then beckoned the Rangers to take their leave. They returned to the Megaship in silence and prepared to go about their daily tasks and then join the search.

That day, Andros was distracted to say the least. He replayed the scene at the power station over and over again, trying to make sense out of Darkonda's words and actions. He had told the Police he was responsible for the damage at station #119-- that he had attempted to fire upon the kidnapper and accidentally hit the transformer instead. Jim Brewer did not need to know his daughter had been taken by an evil mutant space alien.

What's more, Andros was not entirely sure it was Darkonda he met. He had woken up that morning thinking it had all been a dream-- or more accurately, a nightmare. The only reason he knew it was real, was the lingering smell of popcorn and burnt metal on him. Had Darkonda actually been there? Had Andros actually heard him say those things? Or was it the shock of seeing a helpless child stolen from her loved ones; the feelings of rage that event brought up, that were affecting his perception so?

He couldn't be sure of anything yet, but he knew self-doubt never got a person anywhere. He would have to trust his memory as it was, and use that to get Katie Brewer back.

* * *

Cassie Chan finished her tasks on the bridge and sat back in her chair to think. She and the others had gotten the abridged version of the events at the power station, and now she took a moment to mull over them and try to make some sense out of her friend Andros' emotional state.

He had explained the events as such: The abductor lead him to the power station where he ambushed Andros and then fled. Andros had tried to shoot him down with a low-power blaster shot, but tripped and accidentally fired upward, hitting the transformer instead.

The story smacked of deception. Cassie didn't know why Andros would lie, but she figured he was plenty capable of it. No amount of coaxing could get more from him either, so they were forced to accept his story; even though he was blatantly avoiding eye-contact while he told it.

The MegaLift doors slid open, disrupting Cassie's thoughts. Carlos, Ashley and TJ came through, partially Morphed and carrying their helmets in their arms. TJ was in the lead, and reported, "We're going back down to the fairgrounds. Andros suggested we look for clues at the power station now that it's daylight. You coming?"

Cassie furrowed her brow. "Why isn't Andros going with you?"

"He said he had another lead to follow," said Carlos. "He's in the Work Bay getting ready."

"Did he say where he was going?"

"Nope. Just said not to wait for him."

Cassie chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment, finally getting up from her chair and heading for the MegaLift. "You guys go ahead by yourselves, I'm going to see if he needs any help."

Ashley turned to watch her go. "I already asked, Cassie. He said he could handle it on his own."

"I'm sure he did." was the Pink Ranger's reply.

* * *

She went to the Work Bay to find it empty, with Andros' locker door slightly ajar. Curious, she went up and opened it, and a few rolled-up star charts fell out onto the floor. They had been tossed in carelessly, or in a hurry.

Stuffing them back in, she shut the locker and left the room, this time heading for Andros' quarters on the starboard side. The door stood open and the lights were on, and when she came to stand in the doorway she could see him there. He stood before the window with his back to her, partially Morphed, holding one half of a double picture frame in his hand.

"Andros?" she prompted.

He whirled, and his face hardened slightly when he saw her. "I thought you went with the others."

"I came to see what you were planning to do. Do you need backup?"

He set the picture down and walked towards her, brushing past and out of the room. She followed him.

Andros strode down the corridor at a rapid clip, eyes forward and barely noticing the world around him. Cassie caught up to him quickly, matching his stride.

"Tell me where you're going."

He ignored her question, staying all but stonefaced.

"Come on Andros, don't get like this with me."

"Go join TJ and the others on the surface," he said. "The more people looking for clues, the better."

"And where will you be?"

"I've got another lead to follow."

"Could you be a little more _vague_ here?"

He gave her a sideways glance, unmoved by her sarcasm. They had arrived at the Jump Bay and he paused to consult the starmap.

"You know who did this don't you?" Cassie accused. "And you're going after them by yourself."

He leaned on the edge of the table. "I don't know anything yet. I told you I have a lead, and I'm going to see if it takes me anywhere."

Cassie folded her arms. "You know you're really not doing well on that teamwork kick. What have you found?"

"I'll explain when I get back."

"From the way you were looking at Karone's picture, it seemed like you don't expect to come back."

With a great sigh of annoyance, he rounded on her and gazed at her tiredly. "Fine. You want to know the truth? I'm going to find Darkonda."

"Darkonda...??"

"He was the one who destroyed the transformer, not me. I think he's responsible for Katie Brewer's abduction."

She came to stand toe to toe with him. "How come you didn't mention this before?"

He averted his gaze. "Because I'm not _sure_ of what I saw. I only know that when I was chasing the kidnapper yesterday, I could hear the girl's screams as though they were Karone's...and for a few moments I thought I was back in the park on KO-35, chasing after them like I should have done nine years ago."

There was a silence between them as Cassie tried to digest this. She continued to gaze at him quizzically, making him cringe a little. Finally she asked, "So you suspect Darkonda is the one who took your sister. Is that it?"

He nodded, keeping his eyes low.

"And you're sure it was him you were chasing? I mean, you weren't just seeing what you wanted to see--?"

"Why would I _want_ to see Darkonda?" he demanded. "I have to trust my memory from last night and from nine years ago, I've never been this close to having a suspect before. He even gave me a clue: he said that the next time we meet will be the fourth time. Now as far as I know, I've only met him twice before-- when he released the Barillian Bugs and when he hijacked Ecliptor. The first time must have been when witnessed him taking Karone."

The puzzle was slowly coming together in Cassie's mind. "But why is he kidnapping again? What does Katie Brewer have to do with all this?"

He looked defeated as he replied, "I can't answer that. I'm hoping I'll find out when I find Darkonda."

She gave a long sigh. "Well, I suppose we'll never know if I don't let you go, huh?" Her voice was sympathetic, but there was a telltale gleam in her eyes.

"Go on and find Darkonda then," she said. "Just as long as you let us in on the plan. He's trying to set a trap for you, but it may just be our chance to turn the tables and rid the Universe of him once and for all. And no way am I gonna let you ruin this chance by going alone." she added gently.

Andros frowned, but she could see he wasn't going to object.

"Come on, the funhouse yesterday is giving me an idea. We can do this with some help from DECA and a little sleight of hand."


	3. Chapter Three

The Kerova System, home to 42 individual planetoids, but with only one capable of supporting life. Kerova 35, dubbed KO-35 by the Eltarians who charted it, was a cold world, watery and frigid in nearly all it's regions. But one lucky continent drifted slowly around the equator, where the warming rays of the sun could reach it. On that continent a colony had been born, and in that colony, eighteen years ago, a future Ranger had been born.

Andros hadn't returned to his home planet for several years, until his adventures with the Planetary Rangers took him there. Now he returned again, hoping to find some long-awaited answers to some burning questions. He traveled alone on his Galaxy Glider, soaring between the skyscrapers. On the horizon, a lush streak of green marked his destination.

He flew closer until he was skimming over the treetops, and from there he could see the small clearing he had not visited for nine long years. He could also see a figure standing in the clearing-- thick bodied with sword at the ready, and crimson eyes glowing up at him. Andros swallowed, more to curb his rising ire than to calm his nerves.

Finally his Glider came to rest a few inches off the ground, and Andros stood face to face with the mysterious alien known as Darkonda. The perpetual grin he wore looked even more feral and smirking than usual. Spreading his arms, he cried, "Welcome Red Ranger! I knew I could count on you to decipher my riddle!"

Andros kept his voice level and low. "Where's the girl?"

"All in due time, my friend. First I'd like to play a little game of 'This is your life'..."

"Don't waste my time with--"

"You have plenty of time before the end, Red Ranger." Darkonda cut in. "Indulge me with a walk down memory lane. You recall your dear little sister, don't you?"

Andros clenched his jaw shut to keep from cursing.

"Of course you do! What an adorable pair you made...just two little cherubs without a care in the world. It was almost more than I could do to disturb such a scene..."

"I'm warning you Darkonda, where's the girl?"

"Not very patient are you, my friend?" Darkonda gave a resigned sigh. "Have faith, I'll be quick. The point of my little story, dear Andros, is that the one you've sought for all these years; the one responsible for your sister's kidnapping, was--"

"Powers _damn_ you Darkonda!" Andros exploded. "Don't you think I know who it was? And I'll hunt you to the ends of the universe to take my revenge too, but today all I want is the Earth girl you took last night. You can wander down memory lane all you want, but I'm not leaving here empty handed. Am I clear?"

Slowly, confidently, the mutant bounty hunter began to laugh. He laughed louder and louder until the laughs rang throughout the forest and bounced off the blue sky. Then he took a deep breath and nodded.

"I hear you, fool." he sneered. "I only wish you had said something believable. _Quantrons!_"

On his command, swarms of Quantron drones emerged from the trees to surround Andros. Several of them aimed blasters and fired, hitting the Galaxy Glider at close range. As Andros leaped clear, the crimson vehicle struck the ground, spewing smoke from it's thruster housing. The Glider wouldn't be doing any gliding for a while-- Andros would be the one carrying it home that day, instead of the reverse.

If he survived, that is...the drones were closing in while Darkonda stood by laughing evilly. There were more of them than Andros could handle on his own. It was time to call in the Ace up his sleeve.

_"Troops charge!"_ he cried at the top of his lungs, and then dove headlong into the fray.

All at once, there was a battle cry from the forest and many colored figures began to appear. Darkonda was enraged to see nearly two dozen Rangers charge into the clearing to surround Andros and the Quantrons alike. "What nonsense is this??" he demanded.

Andros dispatched a metal minion and cried, "Just a little sleight of hand, Darkonda. Time to play _my_ little game!" The Red Ranger produced his Spiral Saber with a flicker of red light. On cue, the army of Rangers produced weapons as well, each corresponding with the correct color. No one noticed that four of the soldiers moved a split second ahead of the rest.

The Quantrons were frozen, their programming failing them in a time of such confusion. They looked to Darkonda for answers, but he stood fuming at the trick he was falling for. Angrily, he shouted, "Quantrons, attack them! Destroy the real Rangers! But leave the Red Ranger to me..."

Andros just smiled under his helmet. "Come and get me. It's about time we came full circle."

So amid the chaos of Quantrons and Power Rangers doing battle in the clearing, the two foes met, swords clashing with the sound of thunder. They hardly noticed the war going on while they fought, matching each other blow-for-blow in swordplay. Every strike was blocked, every slash averted, every parry countered. Despite Darkonda's greater size and strength, neither could get an effective blow through the other one's guard.

At least, not until a Quantron got off a lucky shot, blasting Andros' Saber from his hand. He bobbed a cut and weaved under it, throwing himself after his weapon which lay on the ground a few meters away. But as he grabbed it Darkonda came after him, sword lifted high and aimed for the Red Ranger's spine. Andros scrambled up just in time to throw up is guard and save his neck.

But now they were locked in a stalemate, nose to nose and hilt-to-hilt. 

"You'll never win Red Ranger! When I am King of Darkness, it is _I_ who will hunt you down and take your head!"

But Andros wasn't interested. "You know, if there were anyone in the universe I wanted Astronema to defeat, it would be you!"

As if on cue, a blast of purple energy slammed into them, knocking them apart like bowling pins. Andros crashed to the ground and saw stars for a moment--then he saw the source of the blast: Astronema herself, standing on a hilltop not far away.

"Quantrons retreat!" she ordered in a ringing voice. The drones broke off their attack and gathered at her feet obediently. She turned to Darkonda, who lay smoking on the grass where he had fallen.

_"You!"_ she cried. "How dare you commandeer my troops for plans I am not told about? Break off your attack and return to the Fortress with me! We will deal with these Rangers later, when the time is right and _I_ lead the attack!"

Andros looked at Darkonda. Darkonda glared back at Andros furiously. Then, unwilling to disobey his mistress, he levered himself up and climbed the hill to kneel at her feet.

"I ask forgiveness," he snarled, and came to stand next to her. She in turn ignored him, gazing out at the army of Power Rangers protecting the fallen Red Ranger.

"I don't know what sort of illusion this is," she murmured. "But be it sleight of hand or sleight of mind, we shall meet again!"

And with that she thrust her staff into the ground and vanished, taking the Quantrons and Darkonda with her. In a flash, the army of Rangers disappeared as well, leaving only one of each color behind. Cassie, Carlos, TJ and Ashley gathered around their friend who still lay on the grass before them.

"Are you alright?" Ashley asked. She took his arm to help him up, but he made no move to rise.

"I'm fine," he said quietly. "The holograms worked alright?"

"Like a charm." said TJ.

"Yeah, the Quantrons didn't know the difference." remarked Carlos.

Nodding, Andros took a deep breath, then sat up, brushing the dirt from his uniform. He picked up his Saber and held it for a silent moment-- then swore under his breath in a language he hoped the others did not understand.

"We didn't get the girl..." he muttered darkly, wondering what horrors she was going through at that moment. But his Cassie surprised him with a comforting hand.

"Andros," she admonished. "Darkonda never had the girl. Just after you left, the Police told us Katie had been found with her mother at a hotel in Nevada. This was all a trick-- Darkonda took advantage of the situation to lure you here and finish you once and for all."

He stared at her in disbelief. "You mean...she was never in danger?"

"No, never. Her mother just wanted to see her, and the courts had other ideas. It'll be up to her parents to figure things out between them, but she's perfectly safe with family now."

Andros took a moment to absorb it all. When it finally sank in, he released a huge breath and shook his head a little, sending a silent prayer of thanks to whatever gods governed the lives of little girls. Staring after Astronema and her followers, he allowed himself a moment of hope that he would see his sister again one day soon.


End file.
